You country is way ahead of mine where there are still places where people haven't heard of earl grey.

Earl Grey!!! I drank that smoked stuff while visiting a friend in the Netherlands, btw, so they are ahead of your country. But I'm quite certain there are enough crazy people around here who would drink it, too. If only to be cool.

Tschusch wrote:

What I really do like is ultra spicy food. I always like bold flavors and exotic food. I even remember when I got my first banana, which at the time was considered very exotic.

Haha, now that's definitely a difference between countries. Over here, bananas have been quite normal as long as I can remember. But generally I have to say that I have a tendency to be somewhat sceptical about exotic stuff.

Tschusch wrote:

Now to answer your question: spoken communication, I suppose. It's, well, real and sincere. Even scary at times.

Quite true!

Tschusch wrote:

But written communication is safer when you don't really speak the language that well, you have more time to prepare yourself that way.

Yes, but it even has further advantages beyond that.

I know this answer will disappoint you, endemoniada (btw, I like people who are outspoken... ), but I'll have to go for feebler forms of personal transport (i.e. by foot or bicycle, mostly), seeing as I don't have a driver's licence for anything and I'm not really planning on changing that in the foreseeable future.

But written communication is safer when you don't really speak the language that well, you have more time to prepare yourself that way.

Yes, but it even has further advantages beyond that.

Such as?

d.mimøsa wrote:

Candles or lightbulbs to light up your place in the evening?

Lightbulbs, candlelight is bad for your eyes.

Lady Gaga or Nicki Minaj?

_________________Without music, life would be a mistake.

Sat Jan 25, 2014 4:19 pm

d.mimøsa

Senior Staff Member

Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:34 amPosts: 5488Location: Baltic coast, DE

Re: this or that...?

Tschusch wrote:

d.mimøsa wrote:

Yes, but it even has further advantages beyond that.

Such as?

Well, it can facilitate the first step for those who are not so sure of themselves in communication and allow them to find social acceptance. Similarly, it is less complex in that it lacks all the subtleties and intricacies of nonverbal communication, which can also facilitate things at first and avoid awkward moments and misunderstandings. And what you said doesn't only apply to foreign languages; in many situations it can be an advantage if you have the chance to give your answer some thought, which is much easier in writing where you can choose your words wisely if necessary. On the other hand, it's not safe from misunderstandings by any means, of course. I'm not really arguing in favour of it anyway since I would have chosen spoken communication myself, albeit with reservations - it's definitely more efficient and can fulfil social needs much better than written communication can.

Well, it can facilitate the first step for those who are not so sure of themselves in communication and allow them to find social acceptance. Similarly, it is less complex in that it lacks all the subtleties and intricacies of nonverbal communication, which can also facilitate things at first and avoid awkward moments and misunderstandings. And what you said doesn't only apply to foreign languages; in many situations it can be an advantage if you have the chance to give your answer some thought, which is much easier in writing where you can choose your words wisely if necessary. On the other hand, it's not safe from misunderstandings by any means, of course. I'm not really arguing in favour of it anyway since I would have chosen spoken communication myself, albeit with reservations - it's definitely more efficient and can fulfil social needs much better than written communication can.

Well, most importantly, surely, is that it's multicast and reusable. Which may be a prosaic and utilitarian viewpoint, but - more sociable or not - it'd be a right bugger if people had to phone up and get you to recite reviews each time...

_________________>> ex silens nox noctis <<

Sat Jan 25, 2014 10:29 pm

baphomet

Site Administrator

Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:46 amPosts: 12300Location: Belgium

Re: this or that...?

endemoniada_88 wrote:

Well, most importantly, surely, is that it's multicast and reusable. Which may be a prosaic and utilitarian viewpoint, but - more sociable or not - it'd be a right bugger if people had to phone up and get you to recite reviews each time...

Communication implies exchange and I'm still waiting for a response to our reviews... I suppose d. was referring to simple, basic, verbal communication between persons, like in the everyday life... A review is not really the same, it's another level of communication, it meets other rules: although you do deliver pieces of information, you're not engaged in an interplay; it's a stated opinion, you're not really "speaking" to anyone...

_________________The horror... the horror...nihil expedit - nothing is worth it

Sun Jan 26, 2014 9:28 am

d.mimøsa

Senior Staff Member

Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:34 amPosts: 5488Location: Baltic coast, DE

Re: this or that...?

Yes, I tend to agree with bapho, even though reviews are, of course, a form of communication in the broader sense. But I was indeed referring to direct interpersonal communication. Hell, if I had to recite my reviews on the phone, I'd quit - you definitely don't pay me enough for that! "For reviews, please get in touch with our consultant on the doom-metal review hotline."

Reviews are a frivolous example, of course, selected just because that's what we do here...

But those are an interesting set of assumptions that cannot logically be inferred from the actual question "Written or spoken communication?", which offers no context as to what sphere of interaction is involved, or what reasons are permitted for deciding which is better.Preferring to talk to (some) people personally is one, completely valid, interpretation. Ironically, though, writing that on an internet that only exists because of the development of written language and the cumulative recording of information, might suggest that the pen is, in fact, mightier than the vocal chord.Or maybe I've just got a weird sense of humour...